KCOU Sports Staff picks Super Bowl 53
February 01, 2019 | Sports,
It’s finally here: Super Bowl LII between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams is set for Sunday afternoon at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia. The game will be broadcast by CBS, and kick off at 5:30 CT.
Before the action gets under way, KCOU Sports recently compiled picks and analysis from a bevy of its analysts and show hosts.
Hunter Hart: Patriots 27, Rams-24. The biggest matchup in this game is between Los Angeles head coach’s Sean McVay’s offense against New England head coach Bill Belichick’s defense. Both schemes have been extremely successful, but you can’t bet against Belichick when he has two weeks to prepare. Brady captures his sixth ring.
Korbett Koselak: Patriots 45, Rams 17. Nothing tangible in my prediction here. The Patriots have played in eight Super Bowls; all have come right down to the wire. We are due for a stinker. Also; every great dynasty throughout football history has dominated a Super Bowl. Brady and Belichick further cement their legacy on Sunday.
Luke Moehle: Patriots 31, Rams 24. I do believe that Belichick and Brady get their sixth Super Bowl Ring- but I think it will be their last. You can never count them out. Take Super Bowl 36, for example- featuring the same two teams. In that game, the Rams were heavily favored, but Brady and Co completed the upset and took home their first Title. Little did we know it would be the start of the greatest dynasty in sports history. The Pats leave Atlanta victorious, but the dynasty that started with a victory over the Rams will come to an end with a win over the Rams.
Matthew Terry: Patriots 34, Rams 31. McVay’s time will come, right now it’s time for the ageless duo of Belichick & Brady to win their sixth. No matter how high-powered the offense, the Pats have shown an ability to shut it down for long enough to win. That combined with an ability to close out games when it matters- save Super Bowl 52.
Zach Berman: Patriots 28, Rams 24. I see this as an intense back and forth game with both teams landing blows throughout, but when it comes down to it, I can’t pick against the team that has Brady under center and Belichick with the headset on. The Rams’ time will come. Just not this Sunday.
Logan Franz: Patriots 38, Rams 37. I see two of the best offenses in the league in this one with two middle-of-the pack-defenses. New England’s running back core, featuring Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and James White have picked up what Brady has lost this season, and kept the offense working like a well-oiled machine. On the other end, the Rams and McVay’s offensive system have been rolling on all cylinders this year with and without Gurley. I’m taking the team with Super Bowl experience in a very close game.
Keegan Hartman: Rams 35, Patriots 21. Call me crazy for going against the G.O.A.T, but Brady is 6-3 against Los Angeles defensive coordinator Wade Phillips in his tenure in New England. Those two losses came against the 2015 Denver Broncos defense- which had the formula to stop him: inside pressure and man coverage. The Rams rank first in pressures in the NFL this year, and third in interceptions. In the end, defense wins this game for the Rams- and regardless of their top tier offense… it alone gives Brady mad fits come Sunday.
Edited by Garrett Jones | gcjh23@mail.missouri.edu